Soft Plastic 554 and a Princess phone for five bucks each!

[bellsystemproperty]

I just got a avacodo green WE 554 on Craigslist. When I bought it I thought it was standard ABS, but when I got home I noticed it had the six hole earpiece and the plastic had a slightly different feel to it. The phone is marked 8-58 on the network. The handset has been disconnected, but I can easily just copy the wires from my blue 554 to attach it. I like how the switch hook is metal, because my blue 554 has a plastic switch hook which  would probably break if someone slammed it down hard. It has some scratches, but what do you expect from a used phone from 1958??? I also got a white Princess phone for another five bucks. Very good day for me today

A couple pics
http://picasaweb.google.com/monophone80/RotaryPhonesCraigslist# ( dead link 03-02-21 )

[bellsystemproperty]

oops - Just realized this should be more in the flea market finds section

[McHeath]

Gee nice finds!  And a hardwired white Princess to boot, you done well today.  I'd like a moss green soft plastic 554, but none ever appear in my neck of the woods.  Good job.

[bwanna]

very nice bsp.      aug of '58, you say

[bellsystemproperty]

Yeah, I forgot to take a picture of the network. When I get home later I'll post a picture. Normally I never see rotary phones for sale, not even at the antique fair. This was just a really lucky find. Now I just need a transformer to make the princess phone light up.

[JorgeAmely]

Donna:

I am afraid BSP is not aware that you are interested in a 8-58 phone. 

[jsowers]

BSP, you got a really nice moss green soft plastic 554. And yes, that is a very substantial switchhook. Very heavy duty. The housing and handset look to be in great shape too. It has very little of the usual filth we see on 554s. Those scratches will probably polish out. The coil cord looks like the correct original fat one. And what a deal! I've looked on Craigslist around my area and never found anything close to a decent rotary phone.

When you take more pictures, please be sure to include the transmitter and receiver elements from the handset. They have actual days stamped on them and Bwanna and I might get a vicarious thrill because we were both born in 8-58.

The 702B Princess is nice too. I have one exactly like it that's been in service beside my bed for about ten years. Not one problem in all those years. It was a thrift store find at about the same price as yours. See the picture below. You can also make out the 2702 Princess I use in case I need Touch-Tone. 

[bellsystemproperty]

Lucky me. It turns out all of the phone has original parts, everything! I added the pictures of the network and other elements. I couldn't get a good shot of the dial date, but it too is 58.
http://picasaweb.google.com/monophone80/RotaryPhonesCraigslist# ( dead link 03-02-21 )

[Dennis Markham]

BSP, that soft plastic 554 was a lucky find.  I had been searching for one in that color for a long time.  It wasn't until this summer that I was finally able to get one, through a trade with another collector.  Nice phone.  And the Princess ain't too shabby either.

[McHeath]

You really scored with the 554!  All the dates match even, way cool.